Photos from Korea's First Private Observation Satellite Show Dubai Clearly from 650km Altitude

Hanwha Systems Releases SAR Satellite Images

Hanwha Systems revealed photos taken by South Korea's first private observation satellite, the 'Small SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) Satellite,' which was launched into space on December 4 last year.

Central Park in the heart of Manhattan, New York, captured by Hanwha Systems' small SAR satellite (Photo by Hanwha Systems)

The photos released on the 18th were sent from the satellite located 650 km above the Earth. The images include famous global tourist landmarks such as the dazzling skyline of Manhattan, New York, USA, and the world's largest artificial island shaped like a palm tree, Dubai's 'Palm Jumeirah.'

Hanwha Systems' satellite demonstrated image quality comparable to satellites operated by advanced countries. Notably, the New York images clearly captured Central Park located in the heart of Manhattan and the home stadium of the Major League Baseball New York Yankees, 'Yankee Stadium.' Additionally, it is significant that detailed identification and observation of major bridges, rivers, and airports were also possible.

The Small SAR satellite is currently undergoing test operations for collecting ground terrain information. For four months after launch, it has been orbiting the Earth 15 times a day and conducting about six two-way communications with ground stations.

The SAR satellite is also called an 'imaging radar satellite' because it irradiates electromagnetic waves toward the ground and synthesizes the reflected waves that bounce back from the surface in chronological order to create a terrain map of the surface. The microwaves used in SAR can penetrate thick clouds, enabling Earth observation imaging and data collection regardless of day or night and even in bad weather. It can detect minute changes in the observation target, allowing predictions of urban ground subsidence (sinkholes), landslides, and fluctuations in logistics volume.

Seongcheol Uh, CEO of Hanwha Systems, stated, “By expanding the scope of space business from satellite development, manufacturing, launch, control, to services, we will advance private observation satellite services that can support the development of various domestic and international industries in the future.”